Compare towns
Hancock vs Jay vs Proctor vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Proctor has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Hancock | Jay | Proctor | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
471 |
1,794Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Hancock and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kHighest 6% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
| Hancock and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$209,900±$17k 34% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19 24% below VT |
— | $1,029±$202Highest 17% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
| Proctor and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$4,032Highest 20% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.